Four Elements, Two Hearts, Endless Possibilities
by Haihai325
Summary: Adena is Fire  Glyndwr is Water  Dagan is Earth  Ilmatar is Air
1. Why?

Chapter 1: Why?

As I lie motionless on the cold ground, I can only wonder what I did to deserve this. Times like these really make you think. They make you reflect and question yourself. For instance, what if I hadn't left? What if I hadn't abandoned all I'd ever known? What if I had believed him? Times like these I say to myself, "Seraphina Celosia, why couldn't you have just left it alone?"

I am Seraphina Celosia. I bet you thought I was gone, right? Well, I'm here. What happened that night was misinterpreted and left people with a lot of unanswered questions. All people, including me. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll start from the beginning. But before I get into how all of this came about, I want to give you a final word about what I think is very important in understanding this story and me:

"All you ever hear is people wondering and wishing for things to happen, well, at this point, I am wishing that something didn't. I always question and second guess what I know is true and change them for people just to please them. Acceptance is my greatest fear and one of the only things I have yet to master."

(FLASHBACK)

It was a brisk autumnal night. It seemed like the entire Adena Nation was asleep. All, of course, accept me. It was another sleepless night full of me tossing, turning, and thinking about the days to come. Thoughts entering and leaving my brain only leave me with more unanswered questions. (That's one of my most hated things.) I don't know why I'm so scared of the unknown, but I guess that everyone is at one time or another. Not knowing what's going to happen next is so vexing yet to thrilling at the same time. Over thinking and questioning everything is just my way. It's a quality that I haven't decided is good or bad yet. Sometimes I think that I'll never figure it out . . . and surprisingly, I'm alright with that.

The most prominent thing on my mind has always been my home. Being born into the Adena Nation was always a burden to me. Sure I may have fit the description perfectly, but it never excused the fact that I disagreed with almost everything my people stood for. I had always longed to be born into another nation. I mean, I liked fire bending, but not at the cost it came with. I had wanted to be able to go out into the world and not be scrutinized for what my ancestors did, taught, and believed. I wanted the world to take me in with open arms and hear what I had to say. I wanted people to believe me and most importantly, to accept me for me. But that's never going to happen.

I gazed all around my small, one person tent and began to think of all that had just presented itself. As these thoughts circled my head, Demetrius appeared at my bedside. It was no shock to see him because he popped in to check on me all the time. Demetrius was born into the world an Earth bender. He too fit the description of his culture perfectly, and he too disagreed with it. (One of the many reasons we connect so well.) My people had always longed to take down the Dagan Nation. The Dagan Nation was the biggest of all four nations, but the Adena Nation was the most powerful. Both places had their strengths and weaknesses, and both places never backed down. But, Demetrius and I were different. We didn't want to be a part of taking down each other's home, even though they didn't feel like real homes to us. (We're different from the rest of those in our world and we still to this day haven't figured out why we are the way we are.) When reality had set back in, I spoke.

"Demetrius, why do you risk your life to come visit me?" I had always asked him the same question and he'd always answer the same way.

"In life you have choices. With choices come sacrifices. You are my choice and everything else is my sacrifice."

I had always loved when he'd say that. It gave me a sense of pride in the fact that I had someone who truly cared for me. I didn't have anyone like Demetrius in the nation. In fact, I didn't have anyone in the Adena Nation that would even come close to making me feel as special as Demetrius. The way he presented himself and the way he always engaged me in every topic he spoke of, made me realize how lucky I am to have someone like him. Someone who looked out for me, had my best interest at heart, would do anything to make sure I had a smile on my face . . . and someone who liked me for me.

After I had gathered my thoughts, I began to speak.

"Demetrius, it's not safe for you to be here tonight. We embark on our journey to the Glyndwr Nation tomorrow and the guards will be out earlier than usual to watch the border lines of Adena and Dagan. You shouldn't being taking risks like this. Not here, not tonight."

He answered, "Seraphina you know as well as I do that I have more skills under my belt to take down half your nation than your whole nation has to take me down."

I whispered "And you know as well as I do that that's bull."

"Yeah but a guy can dream can't he?"

Even though he didn't realize it, he had just given me something new to think about. Sure what he had said was cheesy and generic, but for some reason, it made me think. He _could_ always dream. Dreaming of a different tomorrow was my only get away from this place. And I couldn't help but think if it was ok to feel that way. It's not that I hated being a fire bender and it's not that I hated my 'home' either. I just wished that my nation wasn't the way it was.

I dozed off for what seemed like minutes only to awake to an empty tent. Demetrius, as he had always done, had snuck back to Dagan after I had fallen asleep. Even though I always knew he would go, I always had hoped that one night he would stay. And not because he felt he had to, but because he wanted to.

I got up and gathered my thoughts, again. (I have to do that a lot.) After I had wiped the dust from my feet and slipped on my sandals, I prepared for the journey. We'd be traveling through all the islands of the Adena Nation to get rid of any strangers in our territory. Then we'd go into the Southern Glyndwr Tribe. They weren't very big, in fact they were puny and didn't have that much power, but I thought their bending skills were very intriguing.

As I packed for the days ahead, I looked at myself in the mirror. I saw a typical fire bender. The girl in the reflection had long, dark brown hair, gray eyes, and pale skin. As if that didn't give me away enough, my name is just the cherry on top of the fire bender sundae that is me. 'Seraphina Celosia', a total Adena Nation name. Seraphina means fire and Celosia means aflame. I was a walking, talking billboard for fire benders. But because this is the part that everyone questions and becomes concerned with, I wanna be perfectly clear:

"I don't hate being a fire bender . . . I hate what it means to other people. When people see me, they see an irate, rage filled girl who stands for violence and never backing down on defeating the rest of the Avatar World. They don't see me, they see an image put into their heads by their ancestors and all of the other people trying to take us down. I think I care more about people accepting me than me accepting myself."

"Acceptance is my greatest fear. . ."


	2. Demetrius Foretold

Chapter 2: Demetrius foretold

I walked out of my tent into the mob of people gathering and entering the ships and carts. I didn't talk to anyone because I didn't really have any friends to talk to. Demetrius was my only friend and the only one I truly trusted. I met Demetrius when I was eleven. . .

I had just mastered basic and intermediate skills of being a fire bender and had wanted to try them out. I snuck out of the camp and went to cross the border into the Dagan nation. I didn't plan on hurting anyone; I had just wanted to try out my skills without getting yelled at by an elder. So, I found a place that had millions of rocks, I figured that if some got burnt they wouldn't care because they had so many. I took two steps back, centered myself, and began bending.

I raised my arms up, looked around, and then struck the ground. Immediately after I had done so, a ring of fire surrounded the rock. I felt so accomplished and proud. However, the feeling didn't last too long because, from behind the rock, a person emerged. It was an Earth bender. (It made sense considering I was in the Dagan Nation and the fact that he looked like your typical Earth bender.) He had shaggy dark brown hair, gray eyes, and was sort of tanned. He looked around my age, maybe a year or two older. After I had stopped examining him, I saw his hands lift up and he started levitating the rock I had encircled. (It was a classic and predictable Earth bender move, but at the time I didn't know that.) The rock levitated above his head, he did a spin in the air and punched it. It came plunging towards me and it struck me, hard. I went flying backwards and hit the ground. I laid there frozen.

The boy looked all around frantically trying to find help. He shouted and shouted but no one came. He came over to me and said,

"If you can hear me please, please, say something, anything. I am so sorry I didn't mean to do this."

I had gotten the feeling back into my body and I opened my eyes. I saw whim kneeling over my stomach and I said "what, what happened?"

The boy answered, "I am so sorry, I was just fooling around and then it hit you and I..."

"It's ok, I'm fine."

I tried getting up but I fell back over. The boy caught me and laid me back down on the ground. "I'm Demetrius," he said. "And you are?"

"Seraphina," I answered out of breath.

Demetrius stroked my head and said that I had a concussion. He looked mortified and I could see the tears he was trying to hold back. He was shaking and continued to examine.

"It looks like you'll be pretty banged up for the next couple of weeks. You have a few cuts on your face and your arm seems to be sprained. I'm so sorry Seraphina I, I, I . . ."

Through the pain I managed to say, "don't worry Demetrius, like you said, I'll be fine."

He ripped his shirt and wrapped my head up to stop the bleeding. "I am very and truly sorry Seraphina; I had no idea it would-"

"It's fine and stop apologizing. You were just doing what you were supposed to do."

"That doesn't make it alright. You're a girl, for one, and still a person. Just because you're a fire bender doesn't mean I have to automatically fight you or hate you. I don't even know you."

What Demetrius had said was true. We didn't have to fight or hate people because of what nation they belonged to. We never even gave them a chance to explain where they are coming from or what they believed.

"Well," I began. "So you can get to know me, my name is Seraphina Celosia. I'm eleven and a part of the Adena Nation. I have been bending for three years now and have just mastered basic and intermediate skills. My parents, well . . . I don't know where they are. I don't have any siblings, and I have no idea what's going to happen all the time and it scares me."

He looked at me for a minute and then spoke.

"My name is Demetrius Tuwa. I'm twelve years old and part of the Dagan Nation. I have been bending for five years and have mastered basic and intermediate moves as well. My mom and dad both have died and I live with my grandma, but she is very old and doesn't bend anymore. I had one sibling, a brother, but I don't know where he is. . ."

He seemed to stop in mid thought like we was distracted. I didn't want to sound too curious by asking or implying there was something wrong, but I could tell that there was. I can always tell with Demetrius. People and the world are all so mysterious but Demetrius is a perfect summary that doesn't give away the ending. With him there are some questions that I don't have the answer to . . . and I love that about him. Demetrius started up again.

"Look, I can't even describe how badly I feel about this. You don't deserve this, no one does. Please tell me what I can do to help. Seriously, name it and I'll do it."

"Demetrius, you don't have to-"

"No! Let me do this, please. I caused this and you didn't deserve it. There has to be something. Please, let me help. I need to."

That was yet another thing that I loved about him. He loves helping people but particularly me. He's always been there and this was no exception. This was the moment that I knew he wasn't sent to spy on me or to try to get information from a "stupid, gullible fire nation girl". He was different in the best way possible.

The pain was so intense I could barely form the words to say. With the little bit of strength I had I said,

"Alright. . . I want to ask you a question."

He nodded.

"Can you let go of my face? It's starting to leave a mark."

Demetrius, seeing the slight grin on my face, smiled and let out a chuckle. At this point I was totally zoned out. Then Demetrius said,

"Look, I better get you home. It looks like rain and you don't need to be getting sick on top of all this and-"

"Rain? I, I love the rain. Can you move me over to that rock?"

Demetrius lifted me up and carried me over and we sat there watching the rain clouds open and shower us with the greatest feelings ever. It was magic. After an hour or so of just sitting in the rain and looking at each other, Demetrius scooped me up and I directed him to my tent. I was knocked out the whole way and only remember waking up in my bed with Demetrius sitting at my bedside.

"Hey, you're awake," he said, "how ya' feeling?"

"Alright I guess. My head kills though, ha."

"I am soo sorry Seraphina-"

"Most people call me Phina or Sera. You don't have to use my full name, it's a bit long."

"Well, I'm not most people."

Demetrius looked at me for the longest time and then reached over and put his arms around me. He kissed me on the forehead and left without saying a word. That moment, that one moment, aside from the rain, is my greatest and fondest memory of Demetrius. He is the sweetest and most caring human being to ever walk the planet and he's mine. My Demetrius; I like the sound of that.

The next night, Demetrius returned and greeted me the same way he had left me the previous night. At first I thought he had just felt bad for me, but the continued to visit me long after my bruises had healed. We had formed the strongest bond and nothing could break it.

"Demetrius, why do you risk your life to come visit me?"

"In life you have choices. With choices come sacrifices. You are my choice and everything else is my sacrifice."

That night we talked and talked about everything from embarrassing secrets to dreams we had long forgotten about by now. He was my best friend and that was all I needed. We never talked about other people because we either had no interest or nothing to say. We would always say how the greatest moments were ones we spent together. It was nearly impossible to hang out outside of my tent so we made the most of every visit. Demetrius is the kind of person that you can just look at and know that he is special.

After all the memories faded and turned to the present, I stepped onto the ship. I looked around and found a spot to sit until further directions. As I sat there waiting, I remember thinking to myself,

"What am I doing here? Why am I even going?"

Without even thinking, I jumped off the ship.


	3. Past Experiences

Chapter 3: Past Experiences

I don't even know what came over me. I just jumped ship. In the middle of the mass chaos, I just went overboard. No one had noticed my absence; which was a good and bad thing. Good because no one would have to come find me and bad because that meant I had no one who even knew me in my own nation.

I hid underwater for as long as I could and when I jolted out of the water, our ship was gone. I swam back to land and looked all around me. I made a mad dash to my tent and laid there on the ground. I knew that the whole nation wasn't gone. Some of the elders, the young children, non benders, and a few guards remained in the camps. But I wasn't worried. As I said before, no one knew me. In fact, I don't think even think five people knew of my existence.

See, when I was born, I was kept sort of a secret. My mother and father were both non benders. All of my other ancestors on my mother's side were benders. My mother's family was lucky. Being a bender is both an honor and a privilege. A privilege my mother never experienced. She was the youngest of seven children and was the only one in her family to be a non bender. But thinking back, she hated the very idea of bending. Whenever bending was brought up, she'd always say that it was a burden and something that marked you as an outsider for life. I couldn't tell if she was just resentful or if she had truly felt that way.

My father, on the other hand, totally disagreed. He thought of bending as a beautiful art of defense. He was the oldest of three boys and none of them got to experience the art in their life. He was always broken up about it and never could fully come to grips with the fact that he wasn't a fire bender or any bender at all. If he wasn't fighting with my mom, he was telling her how he would trade almost anything to be a bender.

The day I turned four, my father disappeared. No one knows how, why, or where he went. He was just gone most of my life. My mother raised me alone and we had no contact with our other ancestors. When I turned five, my mother discovered I was a fire bender. She looked at me with furious eyes and then looked very frightened. She said that she had never dreamed two non- fire benders could have a child who is a bender. She wasn't prepared and from that day she never acted the same way. At the time I didn't know what was going on. I only know this because my grandparents told me everything. They were my rock. But I had lost them.

When I was seven, they both died on a run in with the Glyndwr Nation. After it happened, I broke down. The little communication I had with people turned into zero and I became the quietest person in the world. I was left to fend for myself. Everyday I'd go for training. I would meet with teachers and the elders. The other kids never talked to me. I wasn't a bad person. I talked when I was spoken to and made conversation when need be but, they knew of me and my family and wanted little to do with me and I wanted nothing to do with them. I would always hear them muttering something about my parents, but I could never catch what they were exactly implying. I tried to ignore it.

In my nation, I was judged for what my family did. And in the other nations, I was judged for what the Adena Nation did and stood for. I could never win.

Trying to not think about the past, I focused on what I had just done. I had just aborted an excursion to the Glyndwr Nation and now I was alone, in a real sense. The only thing I could look forward to was Demetrius' visit. I couldn't wait to tell him what I had done and my plans for the future. I waited and waited but he never showed. As I thought of why, I decided to go to him instead. It didn't seem too hard because if Demetrius could do it, so could I. I snuck out of my tent, tumbling about like a ninja and saw the border of the nations a few yards away. Seeing no one around, I ran. Sprinting forcefully, I made it to the border and stopped dead in my tracks. A person stood facing me.

Even though I was a loner and made little to no contact with anyone, I still knew some people in the nation. In fact, I knew a lot of people in the nation, but I had never seen this person before. He had to be an intruder, I thought to myself, because his characteristics are too bold and they are a dead giveaway. While the thoughts of whom this person could be swirled about in my head, his eyes suddenly darted towards me.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?"

I froze with fear.

"I just came out here for some air."

In the panic of the situation, I threw a fire ball and stayed completely still. I made the slightest movement and he struck me with a force so great that I flew to the ground and landed head first on the ground. Through all the dust I could see the stranger run away. I laid their frozen.

I had never felt a pain so great in all of my life. I couldn't even process what was happening. The only thought that crossed my mind at that point was Demetrius. I used all of my strength to get up. As soon as I rose, I was light headed. I touched my face and could feel the blood streaming down it. I didn't seem to have any other major injuries but I knew it was bad.

I made it over to the Dagan Nation and it looked as if everyone was asleep. Demetrius had described his tent to me so I set out to find it. As I made my way, the pain intensified and I was so dizzy I had to stop almost every five minutes to rest. Finally, I collapsed on the ground only to awaken to Demetrius. He was crying at the foot of the bed and then he looked up and saw my eyes open. He jumped up and then came to my side.

"Seraphina. I, I, I -"

"Demetrius, what happened?"

"Uhh I was out getting water when I heard crying. I ran to it and saw you there surrounded by a pool of blood. I, I thought you -,"

Demetrius stared at me for a while. He brushed his hand against my cheek and kissed my forehead. After a moment or two, he continued on.

"When I found you, I thought you had left me. I thought you were going to be gone forever."

"I would never leave you." I answered in a meek voice.

Demetrius took my hands and put them to his mouth and kissed them. He repositioned the washcloth he had undoubtedly placed on my head and then let out a long deep breath.

"Seraphina, what were you doing out in the night? You're supposed to be in the Glyndwr Nation."

"I know, I, I just, I couldn't take it anymore," I answered softly. "I got onto the ship and had every intention of going, but all these thoughts came into my head and I just jumped off. I don't know what came over me Demetrius. One minute I was sitting, waiting for instructions and then the next I was collapsed on the ground."

"Well whatever happened, I'm glad you're ok. Do you remember anything from last night?"

"All I remember was being on the ground and then-," something came to me. "And then I saw someone run away. Someone struck me from behind and then they ran. I didn't get a good look at whoever it was, but I landed right on my head."

"Oh my gosh. Seraphina, why didn't you call for help?"

"I couldn't, no one knows who I am. For all I know they could think I'm an intruder trying to kill them. And besides, no one was around and the only person I knew would help me was you. After I left the ship, my only thoughts were to get to you and after I got struck, that was the only thing on my mind."

Demetrius got a bewildered expression on his face. His eyes were red from crying and his hands were shaking. He looked as if I had just told him the worst news he had ever heard.

"Why would you risk your life to come to me?"

I smiled slightly and said in a soft voice I said,

"In life you have choices. With choices come sacrifices. You are my choice and everything else is my sacrifice."


	4. LOVE

Chapter 4: L.O.V.E.

Demetrius Gregory Tuwa. That's my given name, but I just go by Demetrius. I know that you already know quite a bit about me, but I wanted you to get the chance to know my thoughts of the life I've been living, and share my feelings of everything that's happened. First and foremost, I just want to say that Seraphina Celosia is the most interesting person I have ever met and I would do anything for her. This is going to sound cliché, but she completes me. When I'm down or angry she turns me around and shows me how fun and amazing life is. She has a gift to turn a rainstorm into the most magical moment of my life. Seraphina. She is my greatest and fondest memory of everything that is good. She embodies strength, courage, beauty and all that I have ever wanted.

I met Seraphina when I was twelve. I thought I was the stuff because I mastered every move in five years. Seraphina did it in three. She impresses me with everything she does. She can read me like a book she says, but in a way that doesn't give everything away. Whenever she talks I can't help but smile or laugh. My first impression of Seraphina was exactly this:

"This girl is out of her mind coming into another territory, unarmed, and wearing a dress. . .She is amazing."

Like I said, everything she does amazes me. And every time I leave, I think about how I'm going to get back to her. I know that my feelings for her are befuddled, but I do know one thing. I love her and all that she is. Fire bender or not, she is the most amazing creature I have ever encountered. She and I both share a feeling of accepting other people, but she says she is afraid of the idea. Acceptance is her greatest and possibly only fear. I never understood how a person as accepting as herself could be afraid to open up to others and feel the acceptance they would give her. This is one of the many things that remain a mystery about her. But that's just another thing I love about her.

To tell the truth, I don't think I could ever love anyone the way I love Seraphina. I mean, we are just friends, but I can't help but think that we are destined to be together. Two people from different worlds. Classic love story. My life is a classic love story with a twist. Seraphina is the plot twist that makes readers gasp and have to find out what's happening next. I mean that in the absolute best way possible. She lets you know what she feels, she is smart, dangerous, full of life, laughs at everything, absolutely loves the rain, not afraid to play in the mud, and is without a doubt too strong of a person to break down over any of life's obstacles.

Whenever I think about Seraphina, my troubles and pain all subside. And when she wanted to come and visit me, I was filled with so much joy yet I was puzzled for her feelings towards me. Seraphina tells me how she feels on every subject, but the subject is never her nor I. We talk about sports, school, people, family, identity, personal feelings, secrets and everything else under the sun. I cannot fathom that we haven't discussed us.

This brings me to the second thing to know about me. I want to tell Seraphina my feelings towards her, but I am afraid. That's right, I am scared. I may be a little over six feet tall, have muscle strength, and can defeat every nation, but I can't work up the nerve to tell the girl of my dreams that she is the girl of my dreams. . . she makes me smile, and I want to be with her the rest of my life. LOVE. Love is an acronym that stands for **Seraphina Celosia**. (Again with the clichés but I can't help it.) When you've been with someone for five years and have this close of a friendship, it's bound to turn into LOVE. In this case, it means an intense feeling of affection. That's the dictionary definition of the word . . . I like my definition a lot better.

Now that I have managed to sound like a girl in all aspects, I will get back to telling you about me. I am seventeen years old and am officially living on my own. My grandma died two years ago and I've been living with one of the elders up until about a month or two ago. I love being on my own, but I do love the company of others. I guess I've just learned to live on my own ever since my parents died. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to endure in my lifetime. I told Seraphina that they died in run in with the Glyndwr nation but that's only a theory. It'd not a total lie because I honestly do not know. That could have happened and it's a good guess. But when I was told the news, I didn't know how to react. I was so young and naïve that I took it like it was nothing. On top of that, I lost my brother and have no idea if he's alive, hurt, dead or what. Family has never been a big part of my life, but I want it to be. I want so desperately to come home to a mom and dad and brother and just act like a normal family. FAMILY, something I long for.

Although I don't have that strong home support, I have Seraphina. She reminds me that family isn't just a mom, dad and brother. She tells me that it's people who deeply care for one another, and would do anything for each other. I guess when it's put that way, Seraphina is my family. I have so many memories with her. We haven't left each other ever since we met . . . after all these years, I wish that we met differently, but then I wonder if our relationship would be as strong as it is now.

When Seraphina showed up in my nation, two thoughts ran through my head. 1. Did she come to see me? and 2. I need to help her and kill the jerk that hurt her. I would protect her like a sister but in a way that's not creepy . . . if that makes sense. I am a rather emotional person when it comes to Seraphina. My feelings towards her make me feel as though I need to help her, know her, and be with her. I have two of the three things accomplished. It's that third thing that I have much difficulty with. Although she makes me feel all these things, I can't come to express these things to her. On every other subject, I am so open and honest but I would never be able to say "I love you." And mean it in the way it's intended. The bond I have with Seraphina is very strong, as I mentioned, but I there's always a slight doubt in my mind that when I throw love into the equation, the outcome will be far from what I imagine.

RELATIONSHIP, a strong bond with another person. Seraphina is the biggest and most important aspect of my life. If I hadn't have fought her the day we met, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now. I wouldn't have a friend, I wouldn't have an outlet for my pain, I wouldn't have a light in my life, I wouldn't have memories,. . . I wouldn't have a relationship, I wouldn't have a family, and I wouldn't have LOVE.

L.O.V.E

L . . . laughter she brings into my life

O . . . openness I feel when I'm around her

V . . . very thought of her making me feel all these things

E . . . every day spent with her makes me love her even more

Love. Seraphina Celosia. . .


End file.
